In this lesson, you will learn about going out to a restaurant. You will learn how to order at a Chinese restaurant using specific words and phrases and ask for something to eat and drink. You will also learn to and describe feelings of hunger and how things taste.

In the following video, Wang Qiang and Mary go to a restaurant. Listen to them talk about what food they like. Listen to their conversation with the waitress.

You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.

Download video (Right-click or option-click)

Were you able to understand some or all of what was said in the video? Play it several times to see if you can.

Transcript, vocabulary, and notes

Text 课文 (Kèwén)

After you have watched the video, check your understanding by reading the transcript and the English translation.

Pinyin	Simplified	Traditional	English	Listen	Notes
Mǎlì Wáng Qiáng, wǒ èjí le, wǒmen qù chīfàn ba.	玛丽王强, 我饿极了, 我们去吃饭吧。	瑪麗王強, 我餓極了, 我們去吃飯吧。	Mary Wang Qiang, I am extremely hungry. Let’s go eat.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	G70
Wáng Qiáng Nǐ xǐhuan chī Zhōngguó fàn háishì Měiguó fàn?	王强你喜欢吃中国饭还是美国饭？	王強你喜歡吃中國飯還是美國飯？	Wang Qiang Do you like to eat Chinese food or American food?	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Mǎlì Wǒ jīntiān xiǎng chī Zhōngguó fàn.	玛丽我今天想吃中国饭。	瑪麗我今天想吃中國飯。	Mary Today I would like to eat Chinese food.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Wáng Qiáng Nǐ kàn, zhèr yǒu yī jiā Zhōngguó cānguǎn.	王强你看, 这儿有一家中国餐馆。	王強你看, 這兒有一家中國餐館。	Wang Qiang Look, here’s a Chinese restaurant.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Fúwùyuán Qǐngwèn, jǐ wèi？	服务员请问, 几位？	服務員請問, 幾位？	Hostess Excuse me, how many?	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	L45
Wáng Qiáng Liǎng wèi.	王强两位。	王強兩位。	Wang Qiang Two.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Fúwùyuán Qǐng gēn wǒ lái, qǐng zuò.	服务员请跟我来, 请坐。	服務員請跟我來, 請坐。	Hostess Please come with me. Please sit.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Mǎlì, Wáng Qiáng Xièxie.	玛丽, 王强谢谢。	瑪麗, 王強謝謝。	Mary & Wang Qiang Thank you.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Fúwùyuán Zhè shì càidān, qǐngwèn èr wèi, xiǎng diǎn shénme?	服务员这是菜单, 请问二位, 想点什么？	服務員這是菜單, 請問二位, 想點什麼？	Waiter Here is the menu. May I ask what you would like to order?	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	L46
Wáng Qiáng Mǎlì，nǐ xiān diǎn cài.	王强玛丽, 你先点菜。	王強瑪麗, 你先點菜。	Wang Qiang Mary, you order first.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Mǎlì Hǎo，wǒ xiǎng diǎn yī pán kǎoyā. Wáng Qiáng，wǒ tīngshuō kǎoyā xiāngxiāng de, cuìcuì de，hěn hǎo chī.	玛丽好, 我想点一盘烤鸭。王强, 我听说烤鸭香香的, 脆脆的, 很好吃。	瑪麗好, 我想點一盤烤鴨。王強, 我聽說烤鴨香香的, 脆脆的, 很好吃。	Mary Okay. I would to order a plate of roast duck. Wang Qiang, I hear roast duck tastes good and is very crispy. Very delicious!	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	L47, G71
Wáng Qiáng Shì a，wǒ yě hěn xǐhuan chī kǎoyā. Zài lái yī gè liáng bàn dòufu.	王强是啊, 我也很喜欢吃烤鸭。再来一个凉拌豆腐。	王強是啊, 我也很喜歡吃烤鴨。再來一個涼拌豆腐。	Wang Qiang Yes. I also like to eat roast duck. Also, bring us a cold tofu salad.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Mǎlì Chúle zhèxiē yǐwài，wǒmen hái yào yī pán zhūròu jiǎozi.	玛丽除了这些以外, 我们还要一盘猪肉饺子。	瑪麗除了這些以外, 我們還要一盤豬肉餃子。	Mary In addition to these, we also would like one plate of pork dumplings.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	G72
Fúwùyuán Hǎo de. Nǐmen hái yào hē diǎnr shénme?	服务员好的。你们还要喝点儿什么？	服務員好的。你們還要喝點兒什麼？	Waiter Okay. Would you also like something to drink?	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Wáng Qiáng Lái yī píng kělè.	王强来一瓶可乐。	王強來一瓶可樂。	Wang Qiang Bring a bottle of cola.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	L47
Mǎlì Wǒ yào yī bēi bīng hóngchá.	玛丽我要一杯冰红茶。	瑪麗我要一杯冰紅茶。	Mary I would like a cup of iced tea.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	L47
Fúwùyuán Zhèxiē gòu ma?	服務員這些夠嗎？	服務員這些夠嗎？	Waiter Are these enough?	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Mǎlì Bù yào biéde，zhèxiē gòu le.	玛丽不要别的, 这些够了。	瑪麗不要別的, 這些夠了。	Mary We don’t want anything else. This is enough.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.	G73
Fúwùyuán Qǐng shāo děng，cài hěn kuài jiù néng zuòhǎo.	服务员请稍等, 菜很快就能做好。	服務員請稍等, 菜很快就能做好。	Waiter Please wait a moment. The dishes will be ready in no time.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.

New Words 生词 (Shēngcí)

	simplified	traditional	pinyin	part of speech	meaning	listen
1	极	極	jí	adv	extremely	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
2	餐馆	餐館	cānguǎn	n	restaurant	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
3	服务员	服務員	fúwùyuán	n	host, hostess, wait person	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
4	菜单	菜單	càidān	n	menu	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
4	菜	菜	cài	n	food (a specific dish)	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
5	点	點	diǎn	v	to order, select	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
6	盘	盤	pán	n	plate / measure word for dish	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
7	烤鸭	烤鴨	kǎoyā	n	roast duck	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	烤	烤	kǎo	v	to roast, bake	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	鸭	鴨	yā	n	duck	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
8	听说	聽說	tīngshuō	v	have heard that…	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	听	聽	tīng	v	to listen	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	说	說	shuō	v	to say, speak	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
9	香	香	xiāng	adj	delicious	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
10	脆	脆	cuì	adj	crispy	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
11	凉拌豆腐	涼拌豆腐	liáng bàn dòufu	n	cold tofu salad	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	凉拌	涼拌	liáng bàn	adj	cold with sauce	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	豆腐	豆腐	dòufu	n	tofu	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	凉	涼	liáng	adj	cool, cold	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
12	除了......以外以外…	除了......以外	chúle… yǐwài	conj	in addition to, besides	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
13	猪肉	豬肉	zhūròu	n	pork	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	猪	豬	zhū	n	pig	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	肉	肉	ròu	n	meat	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
14	饺子	餃子	jiǎozi	n	dumplings	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
15	瓶	瓶	píng	meas	measure word for bottle	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
16	冰红茶	冰紅茶	bīng hóngchá	n	iced tea	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	冰	冰	bīng	n	ice	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
	茶	茶	chá	n	tea	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
17	够	夠	gòu	adj	enough	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
18	稍等	稍等	shāo děng	expr	wait a little	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
18	等	等	děng	v	to wait	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.

Language Notes

L45. 服务员

In Mainland China, 服务员 is used for anyone who provides service, mainly waiters and waitresses.

L46. 点

Verb 点 is used to order (dishes, wine, music pieces, etc.) Similar to 点，要 can also be used to order food.

L47. 盘，杯，瓶

Words identifying containers can also be used as measure words.

For example:

yī pán jiǎozi
一盘饺子
a plate of dumpling

yī bēi shuǐ
一杯水
a cup of water

yī píng kělè
一瓶可乐
a bottle of soda

Grammar Notes

G70. 极了

Rule: 极了 is used after adjectives and some verbs to indicate the highest degree.

For example:

Zhègè diànyǐng hǎojí le.
这个电影好极了。
This film is extremely good.

Wǒ mángjí le.
我忙极了。
I am extremely busy.

G71. The reduplication of adjectives

Rule: Some Chinese adjectives can be reduplicated to indicate a high degree. The reduplicated form for monosyllabic adjective is AA, of which the second syllable may be retroflexed.

For example:

Wǒ xiǎng yào yī pán xiāngxiāng de kǎoyā.
我想要一盘香香的烤鸭。
I would like to have a plate of delicious roast duck.

Kělè liángliáng de，hěn hǎo hē.
可乐凉凉的，很好喝。
Coke is nicely chilled and tastes good.

G72. 除了.…..以外，还.…..

Rule: This pattern means in addition to…， also…
For example:

Wǒ chúle xué Zhōngwén yǐwài，hái xué Rìwén.
我除了学中文以外，还学日文。
Besides Chinese, I also study Japanese.

Tā chúle xǐhuan tīng yīnyuè yǐwài，hái xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng.
他除了喜欢听音乐以外，还喜欢看电影。
In addition to listening to music, he also likes to watch movies.

G73. 够

Rule:够 means “enough.”

For example:

Zhèxiē cài gòu le.
这些菜够了。
These dishes are enough.

NOT

Zhèxiē cài hěn gòu.
这些菜很够。

Sentence Patterns

These sentences highlight and repeat some of the grammatical concepts introduced in this lesson.

Pinyin	Simplified	Traditional	English	Listen
Wǒ èjí le.	我饿极了。	我餓極了。	I am extremely hungry.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Èr wèi xiǎng diǎn shénme?	二位想点什么？	二位想點什麼？	What would you two like to order?	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Wǒ tīngshuō kǎoyā xiāngxiāng de, cuìcuì de，hěn hǎo chī.	我听说烤鸭香香的, 脆脆的, 很好吃。	我聽說烤鴨香香的, 脆脆的, 很好吃。	I hear that roast duck is crispy and tastes good. Very delicious.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Chúle zhèxiē yǐwài，wǒmen hái yào yì pán zhūròu jiǎozi.	除了这些以外, 我们还要一盘猪肉饺子。	除了這些以外, 我們還要一盤豬肉餃子。	In addition to these (dishes), we would like a plate of pork dumplings.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.
Qǐng shāo děng, cài hěn kuài jiù néng zuòhǎo.	稍稍等, 菜很快就能做好。	請稍等, 菜很快就能做好。	Please wait a moment. The dishes will be ready in no time.	You must have javascript and Flash Player to play this video.

Cultural Notes

Chinese Traditional Food: 饺子包子 (Dumplings)

饺子 (Jiaozi), or Chinese dumplings, are a popular treat in Japan (gyoza), Korea (mantu) and North America (pot-stickers). The dumplings typically consist of ground meat and vegetables which are stuffed into a small piece of thin dough and shaped into a crescent. These small delights are usually served with a dipping sauce generally consisting of vinegar and soy and sometimes chili sauce for that extra kick.

Like the Thanksgiving Turkey, dumplings are one of the major foods prepared and eaten during the festive Chinese New Year. Families get together and prepare these dumplings together while catching up and celebrating the holiday. Though these dumplings can be served boiled, steamed or lightly pan-fried, there are traditionally boiled during the New Year.